GRGR(8) The Army of Lovers

[Brendan Costello]

A couple of days ago, Doug Millison wrote: 
"[The Army of Lovers] echoes the '60s slogan "Make Love Not War". As he
writes GR, does TRP already know the 60s revolution is doomed, as he will
depict it in Vineland?"

I say yes.  A while back, it was suggested that TRP was writing more about
the contemporary world (late 60's/early 70's) than about WWII.  The echo of
"Make Love Not War" in "An Army of Lovers Can be Defeated" is a negative
one, a historic refutation of the popular 60s phrase.  

In 1968, William S. Burroughs wrote "What is happening in America today
that has never happened before in recorded history: *Total confrontation*.
The lies are obvious.  The machinery is laid bare."  This passage comes
from a story in _Exterminator_ , "The Coming of the Purple Better One."
Much of the piece reads like an essay, a platform statement from which the
quote above is taken (includes an interesting anecdotal account of WSB and
Jean Genet wandering around Lincoln Park during the riot). 

Pynchon sees that "machinery laid bare" in the 60's -- it informs his
analysis of WWII and the immediate post-war period.  He also knows,
however, that such times cannot last; _Vineland_ and _M&D_ both have, as
someone noted, a 20-year interval between the telling and much of the
action of the story.  As he writes _GR_, he knows that the window is
closing on the 60's, the new lines have been drawn and already calcifying.

177.8 "... and Roger will be forgotten, an amusing maniac, but with no
place in the rationalized power-ritual that will be the coming peace."  

The inevitable "rationalized power-ritual" that follows times of chaos and
change -- it's always the same, from Berkley to Berchtesgarten.

Hope this isn't too vague, pedestrian or out of place.  But then, there
*are* down sides to having all W.A.S.T.E. systems up and running.

All the best, 
Brendo (an amusing maniac, but with no place)

"Wake up, young lovers, the whole thing is over" -- David Byrne